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A I HAT SIZING APPARATUS. A No. 278,333. Patented May 29,1883.

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. HAT SIZING APPARATUS. No. 278,333.' Patented May 29,1883.

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HAT SIZING APPARATUS.. No. 278.333. v Patented May 29,1883.

n, PETERS. W WW, ov a a 5 UNITED STATES PATENT Urricn.

NATHAN HARPER, OF NEWARK, NEWJERSEY, ASSIGNOE TO MARCUS \V.

ADAMS, OF SAME, PLACE.

HAT-SIZING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 278,333, datedApplication filed August 28, 1882. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LNATHAN HARPER,,a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of 'NewJersey,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvement in Hat-SizingApparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as i will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to; make and use thesame,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and

to letters of reference marked thereon, which form apart ofthis'specification. p

The object of this invention is to improve 1 and facilitate the sizingor felting of hat bodies and other fabrics by means of improvedfelting-surfaces or combinations of surfaces, and of other devices andarrangements operating in connection therewith, as will be hereinaftersetforth and embodied in theclaims.

o recessed 1 longitudinal profiles have already been used in a number ofhat-sizing machines; but the employment of such rollers has beenconfined to what are known to the trade as three-roller? or four-rollermachines, in

which a single roll of hats is caused to rotate.

on its own axis within the recess formed between said rollers andparallel with their axes, but having no progressivemovement at rightangles to said concave profiles. As thus used,

Y 40 the said machines, whether containing three or more rollers, arearranged to form a simple cavity or pocket adapted to hold but one hat-irollat a time, the said cavity being somewhat less in breadth and depth.than the diameter 5 of the saidhat-rolls. In this class of machinesthere is therefore no felting-chamber or felting-surface extending atright angles to the axes of the felting-rollers or permittingthe hat-irolls, while felting, to traverse or'pass over said rollers in a line atright angles thereto. In my invention the said concave orcentrally-recessed surfaces are not confined to concave rollers, butembrace a number of other concave feltingelements, whichelements,including the rollers, are arranged so as to allow a numberof'hat-rolls to be under the operation of the felting-surface at thesame time, and to impart to said hat-rolls not only a rotating motion ontheir own axes parallel with said concave profiles, .bnt also aprogressive or traveling motion in a line at right angles to the axes ofsaid hat-rolls. The special advantages heretofore obtained from theconcave felting-rollersin retarding or preventing the elongation of onehat-roll, and thereby hastening the felt ing process, is by myimprovement extended to a number of additional elements and made tooperate on a number of hat-rolls at the same time, thereby largelyincreasing the capacity of the machine using this form of surface, whilethe additional variety of motions imparted to the felting fabric by thisand other arrangements and combinations hereinafter set forth produces asuperior quality of goods.

The invention therefore consists, further, in other arrangements andcombinations of parts, all of which will be herein fully described, andfinally embodied in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters ofreference indicate like parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1is a plan of one form of a machine in which my improvements may be used,the up per pressingrolls beingremoved to show an interior drumco-operating with the pressingrolls to felt the hats. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation, illustrating more especially the operative arrangement of theseveral gear-wheels and pulleys. Fig. 3 is a sectional view takenthrough line 00, Fig. 1, illustrating more es-' pecially the arrangementof the felting-surfaces and the operationof a feeding a'nddis chargingdevice, but showing a straight instead of a concave drum. Figs. 4, 5, 9,17, 18, and 19 illustrate modified and improved forms of thebefore-mentioned felting-drum. Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 15 illustrate variousforms of pressin grolls. Figs.:10 and 11 illustrate two forms of riorsides of the tank.

bination, with a centrally-concaved drum, of

surrounding pressing-rolls having variouslyformed peripherfes. r

In said drawings, A represents a tank for holding water or otherfelting-liquid, which liquid may be heated by any of the ordinary means,said tank also'serving as the bed or foundation of the machine.

B B are the side disks," secured to the inte- I prefer to construct theside disks as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, in which B represents thedisk secured to the sides or the tank, and B detachable hearing platesor guides arranged upon and secured to the inner side of the said disks.Said detachable plates are slotted to receive the journals or bearingends of the rolls 1) and slats b, said slots being either open, as a,'orclosed, as a, both methods, however, being usually employed in the samemachine to facilitate the adjustment of the pressing rollers or slats.It will be understood that a portion of the disks B lies beneath thesurface of the felting-liquid,

which being kept hot softens the wood very materially. As heretoforemade the disks themselves were slotted to form the bearings for therollers or slats, and the motion of said rollers or slats wore away thebearings below expense entailed by the previous practice of throwingaside the whole disk when a portion of the bearings became defective.These slotted hearings or guides may be made of wood, metal, or anyother suitable material,

A and the form thereof varied and adapted to ties of the detachableplates.

the style of the machine and the elements employed. Figs. 3, 12, and 13show three varie- It will be understood that the whole of thesedetachable bearings or'guides may be made in a single piece; but thesectional form is the most desirable. Within the aforesaid slotted bearings are arranged around the central felting- .the desired purpose.

drum D the co-operating felting-rollers b or felting-slats I), anannular ohamberbeing thereby formed between the drum and the series ofrollers or slats, through which chamber the hat-rolls pass in theprocessoffelting, as shown in Figs 3 and 20. Said rollers or slats maybe fixed at a definite distance from the opposite felting-surface or beleft free to move toward or from said surface. The difference betweenvthe said rollers I) and the slats b is that the former revolve whenacted upon by the hatrolls and the latter do not. The said slatstherefore offer greater resistance to the passage of the hat-rolls thanthe rollers, and on this account the slats may in some cases be advantageously used in alternation with or instead of the rollers. Theworking-surface of both may be constructed alikeplain orribbed, straightor centrally receding. I however prefer to construct the felting-surfacewith con caveorcentrally-recedinglongitudinalprofiles, shown in theseveral Figs. 4,8, 9, 14., 15, (Nos. 7 and 8,) and 16, whereby thefelting-chamber thus formed will possess greater depth or space at ornear its center, as shown at 1, Fig. 4, than at or near its sides oredges, as at 1' 1', Fig. 14; A felting-chamber having the same specialcharacteristics will likewise be produced if only one of its sides isformed with a concaved or centrally-recessed surface and the other orco-operating surface is formed straight or even slightly convex, asshown at q, Fig. 14. It will be obvious that the extension of such achamber in a direction transverse to the said concaved profile orprofiles of its felting-surfacemay be continued to any degree by simplyincreasing the area or number of felting-surfaces in the said transversedirection, thereby enabling three, four, or more hat-rolls to undergothe felting process in said chamber-at one time. In constructing saidchamber it is not necessary that the centrally-recessed profiles of thefelting-surfaces should be confined to the concave or to any other spe-ICU TIO

cific form. Almost any form of recessed protile axes of the hat-rolls,recedes at or near the center and advances to greater fullness towardthe ends or edges, will, in a degree, accomplish Figs. 4, '10, and 11show three varieties of such centrally-recessed profiles, aud others maybe used, if desired.

Felting-slats having concave or centrallyrecessed profiles haveheretofore only been used as ribs or projections secured to the surfacesof revolving felting drums, rollers, or belts,and as thus used I do notclaim them; but as here used by me the said concave slats form aco-operating felting bedor surface detachedv and separate from saidrevolving felting drums, rollers, or slats.

I do not wish to be understood as confining myself, in the use of thecentrally-recessed felting-surface, to the annular form of chamber shownin Fig. 3, as said chamber may be likewise constructed in straightlines, as at s,

which, when viewed in the direction of the require.

' or transversely to their length.

It will of course be understood that the hats to be felted are inclosed,three or four at a time, in the usual wrappers and made-up intocylindrical or elongated rolls, the rolls being fed to the machine withtheir axes parallel to the axes of the revolving felting surface orsurfaces of the mechanism.

The felting drums or rollers may be plain, as in Figs. 3, 4, and 8, orhe ribbed, corrugated, or grooved in lines parallel, or nearly so, withtheir axis, as in Figs. 5 and 6, Sheet 1, also Sheet 2, Fig. 15, Nos. 1and 3; or they may be ribbed, corrugated, or grooved cr0sswise of theiraxis, either spirally, as No. 4, Fig. 15, or at right angles, as inFigs. 7, 15, Nos. 2 and 18. The felting-slats or other elements maylikewise be ribbed, fluted, or corrugated in a similar manner, eitherlengthwise The shapes and sizes of the ribs and of the grooves on saidfelting-surfaces may be variedin any manner, though for general purposesI prefer the curved or rounded'forms. The ribs on said surfaces may beformed in continuous lines or be divided into sections,-as illustratedin Fig. 15, No. 4.

Instead of being ribbed or corrugated, the felting-surfaces may beembossed or be provided with protuberances of any shape desired, as Fig.15, No. 5. The ribs or other i projecting elements constitute the mainwork- {35 ing parts of said felting-surfaces, and are applicable aliketo straight forms and to those centrally recessed, as Fig. 15, Nos. 7and 8. in the latter case the ribs or projections may form the saidrecessed profile, as Fig. 15, No. 7 or the recess may be formedindependently of said ribs or projections, and the ribs or projectionsmade to conform thereto, as Fig. 15, No. 8. Each variety of thesefelting-surfaces has a specific and characteristic effect on the feltingfabric, and by the combination of two or more of said varieties in onemachine results can be obtained which are unattainable from either formwhen employed alone.

In combining these different felting-surfaces, if one of said surfacesis plain, as D, Figs. 3

and 4, I prefer to construct the co-operating felting-surface withelements part of which are ribbed or corrugated lengthwise or the otherscrosswise, alternating witheach other, as l and 2, 3 and 6, Fig. 16, orby placing several of one variety in succession, followed by several ofanother variety, as Fig. 20. If one of the surfaces is ribbed orcorrugated length- I wise, as'Fig. 5, I then prefer to employ for thecooperating surface elements that are ribbed or corrugated crosswise, asFig. 7, also Nos.

ally intersect each other on the bodies of the hat-rolls, which arethcreby subjectedto a constantly-changing series of alternating motionsin each direction and over every part of their surfaces. In this manner,even without the use of the concave or centrally-receding surfaces, 1 amable to effect a saving of time and to produce a very superior qualityof felt, and by the addition of said centrallyreceding forms the savingof time is stillfurther increased.

- The various felting-surfaces hereinbefore described may be constructedof metal,hard rubber,wood, or any other substance of asuitablyrigidnature, said rigid surfaces being, as herein arranged, well adapted tothe felting of the larger portion of the hats manufactured; but in orderto adapt the invention more completely to the finest grades of goods,Ihave also provided a somewhat softer felting-surface, consisting of ajacket or belt composed preferably of india-rubber, although any othersuitable yielding material may be used as a substitute. Said jacket orbelt may, like the other feltingsurfaces, be provided with ribs orcorrugations running either lengthwise or crosswise thereof, therebyenablingit to enter into similar combinations with the co-operat-in gsurface as those already described, and to produce the same movements onthe hat-rolls. When secured ona single drum itis herein designated ajacket. When applied so as to travel over a series of two or moredrumsitis herein called a belt.

structed with a straight profile and be applied to a drum or series ofdrums Withconcave or centrally-receding profiles, as in- Fig. 17.

It will be observed that in Figs. 5, 9, and 19 the jackets fit closelyon the surfaces of the several drums, and have no inward oroutwardmovement thereon, the purpose of each of said jackets on these drumsbeing not the production of a surface which shall yield so as to changeits outline under the pressure of the hat-rolls, but simply to relievesaid hat-rolls in the early stages of the felting process from theharshness due to contact with an essen tially hard surface, while at thesame time they practically furnish for the later stages of the processall the rigidity of surface and outline th at would he obtained if saidjacketswere not employed but in Figs. 16 and 17 the concave or central]y recessed surface of the drums produces a cavity underneath thestraight surface of thejacket or belt, and as there are no springs orother elements employed in said cavity or recess, there is, therefore,nothing to prevent the said jacket or belt from yielding inwardly undereach degree of pressure, there by constantly conforming its surface tothe ever-varying shape of the hat-rolls, and so felting every part ofthe same. The capacity of this varietyof felting-surface to th us yieldand conform itself to the particular shape of the hat-rolls gives it aspecial advantage not possessed by either of the varieties hereinbeforedescribed, or by anysurface having a permanent unchanging outline.

' Iam aware that hat-sizing machines containing a single revolvingfelting-drum covered with a jacket have been used before; but in suchcases the saidjacket did not fit closely on the surface of the drum, butwas distended or pushed outwardly therefrom by water or spring pressure,so as to form a surface that would yield readily both inwardly andoutwardly. As thus constructed I do not use or claim .them, the drum andjacket employed by me being entirely different both. in construction andoperation, as hereinbcfore set forth.

Felting-rollers have already been used having ribs or corrugationsrunning lengthwise of their axes, and also rollers with ribs orcorrugations running crosswise thereof; but the two varieties have notheretofore, to my knowledge, been combined in one machine.

The drum D is actuated, preferably, by the gear wheel 0, which engageswith the pinion d, the latter receiving motion from the drivingpulley e.

In connection with the felting-surfaces there is arranged afeeding-belt,f, for carrying the hat-rolls to the felting'surfaccs, anda discharging-beltf, for the purpose of removing and carryih g thehat-rolls from the felting-surface, the construction and operation ofwhich belts are described in a preceding specification, forming part ofmy application No. 56,634, and therefore not repeated. In connectionwith said feeding and discharging belts is here arranged mechanism forautomatically imparting to the free or inner end of said dischargingbelt f an upward and downward movement toward orfrom the drum D, asindicated in outline in Fig.3. This movement is produced by therevolutions ot' the cam t' engaging with the side strips, h, or blockit, Figs. 1 and 3, arranged thereon. The cam is actuated by thepulley a,connected with thepulleyo upon the drum-shaft. When the hats are in atender stage one revolution of the hat-rolls around the drum beforeremoval is sufficient, and the cam, during this stage, is therefore leftinoperative and the belt fremains on the surface of the drum; but whenthe felt has gained a degree of hardness two such. revolutions beforeremoval are desirable. Atthis stage power is applied to the cam, and thebeltfis thereby raised from the drum and retained in its raised positionlong enough to allow the hat-rolls to make the said two revolutionsbefore said belt descends to remove them. This periodic raising andfalling of the belts is thus continued until the hats are felted.

By these means the hatrolls are enabled to.

make the number of revolutions through the felting-chamber that may berequired without traveling over the discharging and feeding beltsuntil'they are ready for removal, thereby keeping them much hotter thanwould be possible if they had to. traverse said belts at each revolutionthrough the chamber.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Ina hatsizing machine, a felting-chamber having more depth or spaceat or near its center, as at g, than at or near its sides or edges, asatr, said chamber being constructed and adapted to cause the hat-rolls,while felting, to have both a rotary motion on their axes and aprogressive motion at right angles thereto, substantially as set forth.

2. In a hat sizing machine, a felting bed having a concave orcentrally-receding profile in the line of the axes of the hat-rolls,said bed being constructed and adapted to causesaid hat-rolls, whilefelting, to have both a rotary motion on their axes and a progressivemotion at right angles thereto, substantially as set forth.

3. In a hat sizing machine, one or more drums, pulleys, or rollershaving a concave or forming the two sides or parts of the two sides of afelting-chamber, said chamber being con,- structed and adapted to causethe hat-rolls, while felting, to have both a rotary motionlon their axesand a progressive motion at right angles thereto, substantially as setforth- 5. In a hat-sizing machine, a felting-surface consisting of aseries of rollers having a concave or centrally-receding longitudinalprofile and free to move inward or outward toward or from thefeltingchamber, said rollers and chamber being constructed and adaptedto cause the hat-rolls, While felting, to have both a rotary motion ontheir axes and a progressive motion at right angles thereto,substantially as set forth. I '6. In a hat-sizing machine, one or moredrums, pulleys, or rollersh-aving concave or centrally-recedinglongitudinal profiles and fluted, ribbed, or corrugated, lengthwise oftheir axes, in combination with a co-operating felting-surface arrangedat asuitable distance therefrom to form a felting-chamber, said- IIO IIS

chamber being adapted to cause the hats, while felting, to have both arotary motion on their axes and a progressive motion at right anglesthereto, substantially as set. forth.

7. Ina hat-sizing machine, one or more drums, pulleys, or rollers havingconcave or centrally-receding longitudinal profiles and fluted, ribbed,or corrugated crosswise of their and a progressive motion at rightangles thereto, substantiallyas set forth.

. 8. In a hat-sizing machine, the combination of one or more feltingdrums, pulleys, or rollers fluted, ribbed, or corrugated length-wise oftheir axes with one or more felting-drums,

pulleys, or rollers fiuted,ribbed,or corrugated crosswise of their axes.v

9. In a hat-sizing machine, afeltingbed consisting of a series of slatshaving concave orcentrally-recessed longitudinal profiles, said slatsbeing employed separate and detached from the felting drums, rollers, orbelts used in said machine, and adjusted to form a convexfelting-chamber, substantially as set forth.

10. In a hat-sizing machine, a felting-surface consisting of a series ofslats having concave or centrally-recessed longitudinal profiles, andmounted by their ends only in slots,

or guides adapted to allow them to move toward or from the surface ofthe hat-rolls, substantially as set forth.

11. In a hat-sizingmachine,the combination of one or more felting-slatshaving concave or centrallyrecessed longitudinal profiles with one ormore felting-rollers having concave or centrally-recessed profiles, thesaid slats and rollers being mountedby their ends in or between slots orguides adapted to allow them' to move toward or from the surface of thehatrolls, substantially as set forth.

12. In a hat-sizingmachine, the combination of a single revolvingfelting-drum having a rigid felting-surface, a felting-chambersurrounding or partially surrounding said drum,

and a series of pressing-rollers forming a cooperating felting-bed onthe outersideof said feltingchamber, substantially as setforth.

13. Ina hat-sizing machine, a single revolving felting drum or cylinderhaving a rigid surface, ribbed, corrugated, or fluted either lengthwiseor crosswise of its axis, in combination with a co-operating series offeltingrollers, substantially as set forth.

14. In a hat-sizing machine, a single revolving felting drum or cylinderhaving a rigid surface, in combination with a co-operating seriesoffelting-rollers and felting-slats separated from said drum by thefelting-chamber andmounted by their ends inslots or guides adapted toallow them to move inward or outward toward or from the surface of saiddrum.

15. In a hat-sizing machine, tw'o co-operating surfaces or series ofsurfaces arranged at an appropriate distance apart to formafelting-chamber between them, either or both of 6 5 rollers havingconcave profiles, the felting function of said jacket or belt beingperformed by the outer surface thereof, substantially as set forth.

18. In ahat-sizing machine, a felting belt, apron, orjacket having itssurface ribbed, fluted, or corrugated either longitudinally or atrightangles to its length, in combination with a series of co-operatin gfelting-rollers, substantially as set forth.

19. In ahat-sizing mac'hine,stationary disks, as B, in combination withdetachable slotted hearings or guides, as B, said detachable bearings orguides being secured to said disks and adapted to receive and guide thebearing ends of the pressing-rollers or pressing-slats, substantially asset forth.

20. In a hat sizing machine, mechanism adapted to automatically raiseand lower the inner end of the discharging-belt toenable thehat-rolls topass by said belt or to pass onto the same, as may bedesired,snbstantially as set forth.

21. In a hat-sizing machine, acam or eccentric arranged to automaticallyraise andlower the inner end of the discharging mechanism or belt,substantially as herein set forth.

22. In ahat-sizingmachine, the combination,

of asingle revolving felting-drum, an annular felting-chamber,co-operating feltingrollers, a feeding and a dischargingbelt,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

28. In a hat-sizing machine, the combination of a single revolvingfelting-drum pro vided with a yielding or elastic jacket closely fittingits surface, afelting-chambersurrounding or partially surrounding saiddrum, and a series of pressing-rollers forming a co-operatingfelting-bed on the outer side of said chamber, substantially as setforth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this24th day of May, 1882.

NATHAN HARPER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H.'PELL, EDMUND L. ROFF, Jr.

